Verbena plant named ‘Lan Bluwhit’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Lan Bluwhit’, characterized by its compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and uniform flowering habit and white-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivar Lan Bluwhit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lan Bluwhit’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact Verbena cultivars with early and uniform flowering, good basal branching, attractive flower and foliage coloration, and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2000 of a proprietary Verbena hybrida selection identified as code number 99-978-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Verbena hybrida selection identified as code number S231-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Lan Bluwhit was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. in January, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Gilroy, Calif., since January, 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lan Bluwhit’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lan Bluwhit’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and uniform flowering habit.     -   4. White-colored flowers.     -   5. Tolerant to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the female parent         selection had deep purple-colored flowers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena were not as upright as plants of         the male parent selection.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Sunmaririho, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,743. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Sunmaririho in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of         the cultivar Sunmaririho.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had larger and slightly lighter         green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Sunmaririho.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lan Bluwhit’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flower racemes and leaves of ‘Lan Bluwhit’.

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Lan Bluwhit have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperatures about 24 to 32° C., night temperatures about 13 to 18° C. and light levels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs and description were about twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings and were pinched twice. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Lan Bluwhit. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida             selection identified as code number 99-978-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida             selection identified as code number S231-2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 22 to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About three to             four weeks at 22 to 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent             plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely-branching             with about ten main stems and multiple secondary lateral             branches.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 67 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 45 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: Vegetative branches, about 2.5 cm;             reproductive branches, about 5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Broadly             acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Broadly crenate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly coarse, pubescent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, netted. Color: Developing and             fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and             fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper             and lower surfaces: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 5 mm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 147C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers             arranged on terminal racemes; flowers sessile. Freely             flowering with about 36 flowers per raceme; about three             racemes per lateral branch. Inflorescences positioned above             and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about five to seven             days under greenhouse conditions. Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous             from spring until fall.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 6.5             cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Tube length: About 3             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Tubular. Color: 155D.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.             Lobe length: About 1 cm. Lobe width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 155D; towards the center, 145C. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 155D. Throat: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.             Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Ligulate.             Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Coarse, pubescent. Color, upper surface: 147B.             Color, lower surface: 147C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             Upright or curving upward on horizontal stems. Strength:             Strong. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four. Anther shape:             Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 150C.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 1A. Pistils: Quantity:             One. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.             Stigma color: 145A. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color:             145D. Ovary color: 145B.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been     observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Verbena     have not been observed to be resistant to other pathogens and pests     common to Verbena. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Lan Bluwhit’, as illustrated and described. 